Vehicle-indicator.



B. ROMAN. VEHICLE INDICATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 21, 1908. 918 701 Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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B. ROMAN. VBHIGLE INDICATOR. n'ruouzon rum) MAR. 21. 1900.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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9 -%MzM /a 7 I fliizu'l'qz U ITED BENJAMIN ROMAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed March 21, 1908. Serial No. 422,412.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ROMAN, a resident of New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new 'anduseful Improvements in Vehicle-Indicators, of which the following is aspecification.

TlllS invention relates to indicators for vehicles and the like, havinginclosed compartments, and more particularly to indicators for route anddestination indication for use in passenger cars and coaches.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an indicator inwhich the changes of indication can be readily and accurately made fromthe interior of a compartment or room of such a vehicle, especially whenthe vehicle is in motion. p

Another object is to construct a simpler and less expensive device thanthose commonly in use, and in which many changes of indication can bemade at a small expense where the number of vehicles is limited or forany other reason changes of vehicles are frequently desired from oneroute to another route.

In the drawing forming part of this specification Figure 1 is atransverse-section of an illuminated indicator embodying my invention.Fig.2 is a plan partly in section. Figs. 3 and 4: are details of mypreferred form of transparent sign member; Fig. 5 is .a front elevationof a double sign member.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a plurality of signs joinedtogether foruse with the other parts of my invention. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectivelyside and front elevations of a portion of a car having indicatorsembodying my invention placed in proper position- Fig. .9 is atransverse-section of my invention showing a modified position of thelighting means. I

imilar characters refer to like parts in all the figures ofthe drawing.

In the preferred constructionhere illustrated theindicators areshownmounted on the roof of the car over the end compartments and theycan be also mounted on the roof midway of the car when more indicatorsare desirable.

The indicating member is inserted into the indicator casing through anopening'in the roof directly underneath the casing, andsuitable lightingmeans are provided inthe casing for illuminating-the member at night,the case serving to protect the sign clearly seen in F1 and the lightinga paratus from the weather or other sources of injury.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, 2 is a frame made ofchannel-iron of such dimensions that the channel forms convenient ways 3for the sign-frame 4.. The frame 2 consists of the to a-bar 5 andsidebars 6 and 7, and is secure on the roof 8 of a car or other vehicleby lugs 9 and screws 10. Fastened to the rear of the frame 2 is 'asheet-metal member 11, which has a contour curved both vertically andhorizontally, the said curves being blended together in such a way toform a reflector to concentrate".

the rays of one or more lamps upon'the sign member to illuminate thesign. The interior reflecting surface 11 may be highly polished orsilvered as desired", to give more efficiency to the rays. The member 11has also an additional function, which is to-serve as a water-tight backfor the frame-2 and a shield to protect the light or lights, and it isfirmly fastened to the frame by screws 12 with a asket 13 interposedbetween it and the frame 2. It could also be secured by solder,

or by solder and screws, thus making it integral with the frame, thesolder ma ing it water-proof. The contour of the curved portion of thereflecting member is preferably much longer than it is high auditscurved surface is farthest from the sign member at the middle, growingshallower at either end. The lamp 14 for lighting the sign at night isshown mounted horizontally on a tubu ar fixture 15 but it may be mountedverticallyif desired, as illustrated in Fig. 9 and would have slightlyless efliciency than if placed as shown in Figs. 1 and '2'. Feed wires15 are carried inside the fixture-15 from the interior of the car to thelampor'lamps 14 in the sign-casing 11.' The frame 2 and the member llthus form" a casing for the lanfgand sign with a rectangular opening '16of displaying the sign as 8,-thezmember 11 being secured to the roo ofthe car at-the back by screws 1? and a gasket 18 to render the jointwater-tight.

In my preferred construction shown 1n beted member 22 Y but many otheris removably fastened to the flat member 23 by screws 22, anrllis forremoving the glass plate 25 when des red. Onthe glass plate is placedthe desired let tering torxlestination or route indication,

be used if desired, and this invention is not limited to anyone form.Directly underneath the ways 8 in theframe 2 is a slot 27 through theroof of, the car, through which the sign may be passed into its positionin the ways 3 to properly display the lettering through the opening 16.A suitable fastening device is used to hold the sign in this positionand iii my preferred construction, I ordinarily provide a bolt 28 thatis pulled back toward the right when the sign is placed in position,and'then slid into the socket 229 to secure the sign in the ways 3, butmany other ways of retaining the sign in the ways can 'be used, and I donot limit myself to one particular form. The slot 27 in the {roof of thecar is provided with a rubber lining 30 to prevent the entrance of rainand snow as well as drafts of air, and-the lining is preferablyce'mentedtirmly in place, but it may be" desirable in' somecases tosecure it by a mechanical clampingdevice secured to the roof by screwsor other suit able means.

In ordinary practicev the operation of,

changing the route or destination indication is very simple andconvenient, and consists in merely withdrawing the bolt 28 out 0f thesocket 29, drawing down the sign member just usedfreplacing it with oneof the destination or route desired and slipping the bolt 28 intothesocket 29- again.. One or more sign members are required to be ready foruse in ordinary practice in addition to the one in the indicator, and asimple rack canjbe provided in a convenient place for those not inuse inthe indicator.

The location of the indicator is such that it is at a convenient heightfor the conductor, driver or motorman to change the signs withoutleaving the interior of the caror even his regular post, and it is alsoobvious that the operator must be very blundering to make anymistakes'indestination or route indication with this device. a

The sign' members may have, only, one

, destination or route indication, or may have two indications asillustrated in Fig. '5, where the indication for use is at the top andthe one not then in use is inverted and when :he sign. is placed in theways is hidden from sight by the roof and other parts of the car In Fig.6 I have illustrated a method 0t joining several signs. together buthaving only one Sign 32 in use, and held in the ways Whilelhe othcrs33,3st, 35 hang down beldw ready to be put in the ways if required. Thesign members in Figs. 5 and 6are"intei'idcd to be secured in position bythe bolt types of sign members can cep t as defined by inga traine 1min28 placed at the end in the form shown in 'ig. 5 and in the center ifdesired. with the form shown in Fig. 6. I

lily invention can be used without a special light therefor if desired,by placing the ways contiguous to the monitor of the roof of the car sothat the light from the interior of the car may shinethrough thesigirwhen placed in theways. This method gives a more economicaloperation but less eflicient than where the special lamp, or lamps andreflector are used. This invention can also be used for car or trainsignals where colored disks or other symbols are used to indicate thedestination or route of the car or train, said disks or other symbolsbeing placed on the-sign member 25; l

It is obvious'that many modifications of this invention can beconstructed and I do not limit myself to one particular form exthe scopeof the appended claims.

I claim as my inventionl. A device offtheclass described, embody- I gsigirholding ways and a sign-displaying aperture and projecting outsideof a compartment, a sign adapted to be passed into said ways at one,edge of the frame from. the interior of said compartnientand to be heldin said ways, and a eon'ipartinent wall having Hi Opening 'r'e g'istering with sald ways;

A device of the class described, c nbodying a frame having sign-holdingways and a sign-displaying aperture and project: ing outside of acompartment, a Sign adapted tn be passed into said ways at one edgeofthe frame from the interior of said compartment, a compartment wallhaving an opening registering with said ways, and means for retainingsaid signrin position in said ways.

3. A device of the class described, embodying a casing projectingoutside of a compartmentand having a sign-displaying aperture andsign-holding means, a sign adapted to be passed into said sign-holdingmeans at one edge of the same from the interior of said compartment andheld in said means, and a compartment wall having an opening registeringwith said sign-holding means.

at. A device of the class described, embodying a casing projectingoutside of a compartment and having a sign-displaying aperture andsign-l'iolding ways, a sign adapted to be passed into said ways at oneedge of the same from the interior of said compartment and held in saidways, and a compartment wall. having an opening regis- .tering with saidsign-holding ways.

1 comprising a sign signholdin adaptedfto have sa d sign passedroof-ofthe vehicle, a vehicle-roof'having 'a suitable slot in line withsaid ways, a suitableTsign' movable into and out of .place through saidslot, and means for retaining a the sign in said ways.

6. In combinationwith a passenger vechic1e,an indicator embodying acasing having a' sign-displaying aperture and sign.- holding ways andwhich is mounted on the roof of the vehicle, a suitable. sign, means forretaining saidsign in said ways, a vehicleroof'having a slot in. linewith said ways, and-means to ren'der said slot water-tight with the signinposition in said ways;

'7. In combination with a passenger v e hicle, an indicator comprising acasing hav-. ing a sign-displaying aperture and signholding ways andwhich is mounted on the roof of the vehicle, ,a sign having suitableindications'thereon, means for retaining the signinsaid ways, avehicle-roof having a slot inlinewith said ways, -and means in-Yside'the 'casingfor lighting'the said sign;

indicator of the class. desc ribed, means erein at tf'ej lower end'of;said sign-holding means, 'andimeans for maintaining .said sign in saidsign holding means. l A;

destination indicator embodying a. aving a sign-displaying aperture,. fg ways and areflector, said" cas-' 11in -hemgfniounted on the roof ofsaid ve-- 3.- 5;' hic 'e, '-a sign,-'1neans for retaining. said signingsaidifways, a vehicle-rooflhaving a slot -li'nej' with 'saidways,--and one or-more electric lamps placed in proper relation to. aidisign and'said reflector.

Q1,- n combination with a passenger veicl e, pa destination indicatorembodying a casing" having a sign-displaying aperture, sign-holding waysand a concave reflector ia -beingfmounted onthe roof of said vehicle,

.'-' In combination with apassenger vewith said ways, means forsupporting the lower end of the sign, and one or more electriclampsplaced in said casing in proper relation to the sign and the reflector.

prising sign-holding mea'i'fs projectlngouthaving a suitable into' andout? of place in, said sign-holding means through said opening, andmeans for maintaining said sign in said sign-holding means. i Y j 12. Adevice of theclass described, coinprising sign-holding; ways projectingout side of an apartment, an apartmentwall 'having an openingregistering with said ways, and a sign adapted, to be passed into saidways throughsaid opening from the interior of said apartment, and to beheld in said ways.

13. A device ofthe class described, comprising sign holding Waysprojecting out-1 side of an apartment, an apartment wall having anopening registering vwith said ways, a sign movable into and outof place.in said ways through saidopening from the ,'interiorof said apartment,and means at the lower end of said sign for positively locking said slgnin said Ways.

14. In combination with a passenger vethatfgis'donger than it ishigh','said casing hicle having an inclosed compartment, sign-holdingways projecting outside of said compartment, a compartment wall havingan opening'registering with said ways, a'si'gn adapted to' be moved intoand out of lacej 1n saidways through said opening from the inter or ofsaid compartment, and

means for maintaining said sign in said Wa s.- gigned at New York,in thecounty of New 'York,' and State of New York, this 17th day of March, A.D. 1908. I

I BENJAMIN ROMAN. Witnesses:

CHARLES D. KING,

HENRI Ar L. Hosivn'r.

l 11. A device of the class; described, com

